Oiling system for centrifugal machines



Feb. 4, 1930. H. J. M. c. KRANTZ 1,745,353

OILING SYSTEM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHiNES I Filed Oct. 16, 1926 I I 37 m Patented Feb. 4, 1930 PATENT ()FFICE HUBERT J. M. C. KRANTZ, OF AACHEN, GERMANY OILING SYSTEM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Application filed October 16, 1926. Serial No. 142,075.

This invention relates to a centrifugal machine and particularly to an oiling system for lubricating the main bearings of the rotating element of such machine. 1

- A particular object of the invention is to provide a simple and etficient lubricating system whereby the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotating element will be used to keep the lubricant in continual circulation through the main bearing of the machine, together with means whereby the supply of lubricant may be readily replenished.

A further object is to so construct the machine that duri g the operation thereof the flow of lubricant to the main bearing will be properly distributed to all parts of said bearing.

Other objects and aims of the invention,

2 more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and

in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a centrifugal machine constructed in accordance with this invention, parts being shown in elevation, and

/ Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken upon the plane of line 11-11 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structure shown therein the reference character L indicates a main, casing. This casing may be of any suitable construc- "tion and within it is arranged the basket G in the usual relation common to centrifugal machines of this general type. Both the casing and the basket are open at their upper sides as at l for the convenient insertion and removal of articles to be dried. The basket is formed with suitable perforations through its annular wall for instance as indicated by 50 the reference character 2, and is somewhat smaller in diameter than the casing to provide an open space 3 into which the moisture from the articles within the basket may flow.

The central portion of the bottom wall 4 of the casing is projected upwardly as at 5 and provides a support for a ball-bearing device 6 at its upper end within which engages the main supporting shaft H of the basket.

The bottom wall 7 of the basket has its central portion projected upwardly as at 8 so as to provide a downwardly opening recess as 9 centrally of the under-side of the basket into which the upwardly projecting portion 5 of the casing projects. The bearing 6 is thus disposed in a plane above the bottom of the basket, and preferably at the centre of gravity of the basket as more fully described in my co-p ending application Serial Number 142,074 filed Oct. 16, 1926, now Patent N 0. 1,723,940, patented August 6, 1929.

The shaft H projects above the bearing 6 and is rigidly connected as at 10 to a hub portion 11 provided at the upper end of the portion 8 of the basket.

The central portion of the bottom wall 4 of the casing has another portion Which is projected downwardly as at 12 and provides a support for a ball-bearing device 13 at its lower end within which engages the lower end portion of the main supporting shaft H. The portion 12 provides also proper support for an end thrust bearing 14 at the lower end of the shaft H.

Upon the shaft H is mounted a pulley 15 about which engages an endless belt 16 extending horizontally and engaging about a drive pulley 17 which is carried upon the shaft 18 of a motor 19. t

The motor 19 is carried by the casing L.

In order to support the casing L said casing is provided with a plurality of laterally extending lugs as 20 thereon spaced equi distant circumferentially of the casing. Each .of these lugs is shaped to provide in its under-surface a ball seat 21 within which engages a ball 22 carried at the lower end of a hanger link 23. The upper ends of these links 23 are provided with similar balls as 24 arranged to engage within ball seats 25 which are provided in the upper surfaces of suitable bracket members 26, said bracket members being in turn rigidly supported upon the main supporting floor 27. a

It will be apparent from this arrangement that the casing L, including the basket and its driving means, will be free to vibrate upon the hanger links 23 without imparting any appreciable portion of said vibration to the floor 27.

It is also important to note that due to the unitary construction of the casing and the motor 19 the vibratory motions of the casing will be partaken of by'the motor and hence will at no time alter the distance between the ulleys 15 and 17. The driving efficiency o the motor, through belt 16 will thus not be impaired.

The ball bearing device 6 is arranged within a pocket 28 provided in the portion 5 ofv the casing and covered by a cover'member The pulley 15 is made hollow to provide a lubricating chamber as 30 therein and a sleeve 31 is fixed to the bottom wall 32 of the pocket 28 surrounding shaft H spaced' therefrom and extending downwardly into the open upper end 33 of the pulley 15 thus providing a passage 34 through which lubricant from the pocket 28 may flow downwardly into the chamber 30.

'The ball bearing devices 13 and 14 are carried within a pocket 35 provided in the portion 12 of the casing and covered by a cover member 36, an overflow passage as 37 being provided in the upper portion of the pocket 35.

The pulley 15 has its hub portion 38 projecting both above and below the bot-tom wall of the pulley, the lower portion extending downwardly through the cover 36 and into the pocket 35 and the upper portion extending upwardly into the lubricant chamber 30. An annular groove 39 is provided at the upper portion of the hub within the chamber 30 and rom said groove one or more passages 40 are provided downwardly through the hub and have their lower ends opening into the pocket 35. v

Fixed to the casing is a pipe 41 which projects downwardly through the open end 33 of the pulley and into the chamber 30, the lower end as 42 of said pipe being disposed adjacent theputer wall of the chamberand being bent so as to project in a direction contrary to the direction of rotation of the pulley l5 and basket G, from which it follows that during the rotation of the pulley the lubricant, as 43,, which is within the chamber, and which dueto the action of centrifugal force will be piled up against the outer walls of the chamber, will be driven into the open lower end of said pipe and thence along said pipe upwardly and out of the chamber.

The upper end of the pipe communicates with a passage 44 provided in the portion 5 of the casing said passage extending upwardly and having its upper "end as 45 opening into the upper part of the pocket 28 a point above the ball bearing device 6.

By this meansthe lubricant moving upwardly through pipe 41 will be discharged upon the top of the ball bearing device 6 and,

penetrating through said device will flow downwardly through the sleeve 31 again to the chamber 30, thus completing a circuit It is intended that the cap 47 when in closing position shall be oil-tight to thus prevent the possible undesirable discharge of the lubricant outwardly through the open end of the pipe 46. 7

Whenever a supply is being introduced through the pipe 46, which of-course should be done when the machine is at rest, the oil which is being poured in will flow downwardly through the pipe 41 and into the chamber 30. The pouring in of the oil is continued until the level of the lubricant within the chamber 30 reaches a point where a portion of the oil will flow into the groove 39 and downwardly through the passages 40 to fill the pocket 35. When this pocket has been filled the oil will overflow through the passage 37 whereupon the introduction of oil at the upper end of the pipe 46 should be stopped and the cap 47 tightly replaced leaving the chamber 30 and pocket 35 both filled to a predetermined extent. v

It is noted that due to the yieldable mounting of the casing L and the consequent freedom of the casing to vibrate in unison with the inevitable vibrations of the rapidly rotating basket Gr, the oil which is discharged on to the upper end of the ball bearing device ,6 will be splashed and otherwise made to quickly cover the entire upper surface of said ball bearing device and hence to more uniformly lubricate said device than if the casing were held against vibration. Also the oil within the chamber 30 will be caused to splash about so that sufficient quantities thereof will be continually thrown into the passages 40 to maintain the ball bearing devices 13 and 14 in ocket 35 thoroughly lubri-' cated. The splas in'g effect of the: pipe 41 upon the oil will also assist in throwing oil into the passages 40, and of course the vibrating movements of the casing will cause the oil which is within the pocket 35 to be continually splashed about amongst the parts of the ball bearing devices 13 and 14.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from' the 30 tain a quantity of oil, means providing a lowing claims, it is intended that all matter I contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I- claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a centrifugal machine, a basket, a supporting. shaft for said basket, bearings for said shaft, a pulley connected with said shaft by which to rotate the shaft and basket, said pulley being hollow and adapted to contain a quantity of oil, means providin a passage-way fromthe interior of the pul ey to one of said bearings arranged to receive the oil by centrifugal force and conduct the oil tosaid bearing, means providing for vibration of said pulley incident to'rotation of said pulley and means providing another passage-way from the interior of said pulley to another bearing arranged to receive oil from the pulley as a result of the vibratory movements of said pulley.

-2. In a centrifugal'machine, a basket, a supporting shaft for said basket, bearings for said shaft, a pulley connected with said shaft by which to rotatethe shaft and basket,

said pulley being hollow and adapted to conpassage-way from the interior of the pulley to one of said bearings arranged to receive the oil by centrifugal force and conduct the oil to said bearing, means providing another passage-way from the interior of said pulley to another bearing, and said means providing the first mentioned passage-way including a part arranged to splash oil into said second mentioned passa e-way. I

3. In a centri gal machine, a basket, a supporting shaft for said basket, bearing forming means by which the shaft is rotatably mounted, means connected with the shaft to rotate therewith providing an oil chamber, a relatively stationary pipe dipping into said oil chamber to receive oil by centrifugal action during rotation of the shaft, means providing a passage-way from said pipe to said bearing forming means whereby to lubricate said bearin forming means during rotation of the sha a container for the basket, a feed pipe extending from a point exteriorl communication with said first pipe by which to introduce oil into said oil chamber, and

a closure for th outer end of said feed pipe.

. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

Y HUBERT J. M. G. KRANTZ.

of the container inwardly into 

